Thomas England Duncan

Surname
Duncan
Forename(s)
Thomas England
Date of death
24-Oct-42
Place of death
Western Desert

World War 2

Serial No
25841
Rank
Corporal
Address on enlistment
Reporoa, New Zealand
Next of kin
Mrs Puke (mother), Reporoa, New Zealand

Comments (4)

From the Evening Post, 25 September 1941, p10:  MAORI'S BRAVERY MILITARY MEDAL WINNER (O.C.) ROTORUA, September 24. Included in the 32 immediate awards recently announced for gallantry in action in the two campaigns fought by the New Zealand Expeditionary Force appeal is the name of a Maori soldier from Wharepaina, Reporoa, Private E. Duncan, who was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the defence of Crete. Private Duncan is well known in the Rotorua district, having been an employee of the Land and Survey Department before going overseas. He was twice wounded at Crete. Letters from other members of the Maori Battalion record how he saved the lives of others by bringing back food from the Germans.

An excerpt from the article titled Greece and Crete, Awards for Gallantry, Officers and Men of the N.Z.E.F. in The Evening Post, 20 September 1941, p9:  Private Duncan, a Maori, displayed courage and initiative. On May 22 he was required to go out and take individual action against two or three parachutists who landed in front of the battalion line, and he accounted for at least two. Next day at Malemi- he volunteered to silence an enemy machine-gun post which was troubling his company. Single-handed he closed with the post and bombed it, killing nine Germans and capturing the gun and its ammunition, which subsequently were used against the enemy.Click here to see article.

Kia Ora Te Awhi and to all the Thomas England Duncan whanau.  I am also researching information and stories of my fathers war life.  It is good to read all the stories on the site and you can only imagine the hell they went through. I am sorry for our men who did not return home to us, and for the ones who did return but could not leave it behind.  As we read, the tears will flow, as we who left became an iwi. We are all proud of our people Thank you,ArohanuiConnie, Alan Whanau